Photograph of Shirt race 1954. Organised by the SPAJERS Harry Hampton at back

The contestants in the Shirt Race are at The Lamb Inn in the Market Square. This Inn was known locally as The Tree because there was a very large Ash tree in the garden.

Photo of John Quick, founder of the SPAJERS, pushing the gasworks pram in the shirt race, and a link to Short film by Roy Barratt of Life in Bampton in Oxfordshire recorded by Roy Barratt during the early 1960s. General views and events in Bampton ending with a short time on Church Green in Witney. Town Hall windows are bricked up, there are few cars about and the Elephant & Castle, Malt Shovel, Eagle and George & Dragon pubs were still open. https://youtu.be/fldMqNA41NY

Set of Letters and correspondence relating to the SPAJERS including from Parish Council re: plans to Celebrations for the Queens Jubilee in 1953 Asking for donations to supply Coronation Mugs, floodlighting, supper and film show provision of commemorative seat and trees and proposing the start of the Shirt race, now held annually. Mostly dated 1950’s
Letter from Balmoral to the SPAJERS from Queen’s lady in waiting, and some letters from grateful recipients of the Christmas gift supplied from the proceeds of the collection at the Shirt race.
Letters from Morland and Clinch Breweries donating ale for the race, and various invoices and correspondence from contributors to the event.
Names of the runners 1958: R. G. Adams and. Partner, Buckland. . D. Green, and Mrs. P. Gates. . J. Hunt and R. Kew. . R. Radband and Mr C. Smith. . K. Long and. F. Hudson. Bob Ody, and K. Lomas. . Phil Martin and.B. Killick. . J. Wixey and Mr. 0. Benedixt. Quentin Gray and Barrie Cripps. . Mike Radband. and Joe Buckingham. . Jack Lawrence and Mr. Ron Smith, Great Milton. . John Maclean and Mr. Tom Sallis . W. Smith and E. Jackson. J. Quick and Mr. W. Lomas. . G. Dafter and Mr. T Bradley. C. Weeks and. J. Court. . A. Radband and R. Wixey. . Son Townsend. and. Perc. Radband, . J. Townsend. and. Mansell John. . Peter Horne and R. Skittral

Photo of Cyril Smith and Robert Radband running in Shirt Race in1960.

Second short film by Roy Barratt showing Morris Dancers and flower garlands at Whitsun 1962 and 1963. Some participates in Shirt race can be named as Mikey Smith, Frank Hudson, Frank Purslow, Albert Radband and in the Flower Garlands some of the children can be named as Teresa Lock, Wendy Radband, Elaine Howell, Sylvia Barber, Philip Curtis, The cover photo shows the children's shirtrace starting from the Swan Pub in Buckland Road.

These were the tickets for The Spajers' Christmas Draw. Notice the price of tickets - 6 pence . That would have been 6 old pennies , equivalent to just over 2 pence nowadays. Miss M Roberts, know to Bampton as Peggy Roberts, opened the first Bampton Hairdressers in her house, Fleur de-Lys. This was the left -hand red brick house , close to and opposite the War Memorial. She later moved the business to the shop , now the Pottery Shop, opposite the Morris Clown.

Newspaper cutting Oxford Mail Aug 27th 2018. Chariot racing with names Maurice Walsh, Ken Mullis, Tony Sweetenham. Frank Hudson, Colin Woodward, Brian Radband, Robert Radband

43 assorted photographs from Shirt Race and Donkey Derby taken over the years, showing how the people of Bampton have enjoyed these events since 1953.

The SPAJERS - The Society for The Preservation of Ancient Junketing - organised many dances as part of their fundraising events to enable them to give fun to Bampton's senior citizens while everyone had fun.
There are 6 tickets here with dances from 1960 to 1970.